Warp worm for drawing-in machines



Dec. 14, 1954 V F. TOWNSEND 2,696,654

WARP WORM FOR DRAWING-IN MACHINES Filed July 16, I953 INVENTOR.

T'rafl/f //'/1 L. Townsend ATTORNEYS United States Patent" WARP WORM FOR- DRAWING-IN MACHINES Franklin L. Townsend, Loves Park, 111., assignor to Barber- Colman Company, Rockford, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 16,1953, Serial No. 368,381

7 Claims. (Cl.'28-44) This invention relates to drawing-in machines in which the threads of a warp sheet are picked off one by one from the sheet by a needle and drawn through conveutional weaving elements. In such a machine, the threads of the sheet are separated forsuccessive engagement with the needle by a warp worm having a helical groove extending around its periphery. As the worm is turned, the threads enter the end of. the groove and thus become separated and spaced .apart a-distance equal to the spacing of the adjacent convolutions of the groove.

The general object of the invention is to provide a new and improved warp worm which is capable of separating both fine and coarse threads and which is adjustable selectively to insure that only one thread of the warp sheet will enter the groove at a time even though the-threads are relatively fine.

A more detailed object is to define the inlet end of the worm groove by a warp picking element whichis adjustable relative to theworm tovary the width. of the groove inlet in accordance-with the size of; the warp threads and which separates the terminal-thread from, the warp sheet and guides this thread into the groove.

The invention also resides in the novel-construction of the picking element and in the manner in which the element is adjustable and coacts with the worm to define the inlet to the groove. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention: will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a warp worm constructed, in accordance with the, present invention and illustrating theymanner in which the-worm is mountedvin a drawing-in machine.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the worm.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of-one end of the worm.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the'endportion of the worm.

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the-picking element and its mounting.

As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration,

the invention is embodied ina drawing-1n machine in which the, threads of a warp sheet 11 are pickedofi one by one by a reciprocating needle 12 and-*drawn through conventional drop wires, harness and reed. The warp sheet 11 is led up over an elongated horizontal warp rod 13 and the free ends of the threads 10 are held by a suitable friction clamp (not shown). When the needle 12 is in the forward position illustrated in Fig. 1, it hooks the last thread lfl of the sheet and, as the needle moves back, this thread-is drawn out of {thefriction clamp and guided through the weaving elements.

To separate the threads 10 for successive engagement by the needle 12, the threads enter a helical groove 14 extending around the periphery of a warp worm 15 and become separated a distance equal to the spacing of the convolutions of the groove. The latter extends to the end 16 of the worm adjacent the warp sheet 11 and the wall 17 (Figs. 3 and 4) of the groove facing outwardly toward this end extends circumferentially beyond the terminus 18 of the inwardly facing wall 19 so that the helical extension 20 of the wall 17 converges gradually with the transverse end plane of the worm. Herein, the worm 15 is in the form of a sleeve telescoping over one end of the warp rod 13 and keyed to the latter. When the rod and hence the worm are turned in the direction '10 at a time from the-warp sheet 11, the present :invention contemplates the provision of a separate warp picking element 22 "which cooperates with. the extended :p'ortion 20'of thev worm :groove wall 17 to define the inlet .23 (Fig. 3) to the groove 14and' which *atthe same time is movable relative t'o the wall extension 'toadjust :the

width of the inlet in accordance with the size of the warp thread. This picking element is the-first part of the worm to engage the warp sheet during each revolution of the worm and isformed with'a :sharpenedor pointed end 24 to enter easily between thetwo terminal threads of the sheet. Preferably, the pickingwelement 22 is a thin finger or blade. projecting circumferentially beyond the terminus 18 'ofthe wall 19 and mountedon the end of the worm for adjustment 'angularly about the longitudinal axis of the worm to position the endl24 'of' the blade opposite ditierent portions of the-wall-exten- SLOH20; Thus, the pointedend -of the blade and-the opposed portion of the wallextension form the inlet 23 fortheworm groove which becomes narrower as the end; 24 is moved circumferentiallyaway from the "terminus 18 due to the converging of the Wall extension 20 with theworm end 16.

lnthe present instance, the blade 22 is a thin flat lug projecting radially from theouter periphery of a ring 25 (Fig. 5). which is journaled on the warp rod 13'at the end-16 of theworrn 15 'so that it may be turned about the axis of the worm to place the-pointed end 24 of the Lug in the desired position relative to the wall extension .20; The lug being onlya few thousandths-of an inch thick at its end 24. will enter easily between the two terminal-threads of the. warp sheetll. While the armate length of the lug'rnay be short, it is preferred to extend the lug a substantial distance around the ring 25 so that it spans the space between the pointedend 24 and the terminus 18 of thegroove wall 19 in all posi tion-s of angular adjustment of the ring. I-nthis way,;the lug-yin, effect, constituteswa continuation of. the wall 19 and insures that the threadsiwill beguided properlyinto the groove 14.

As shown in Fig. 2, the -diameter'of the-lug .22 is less than the diameter of the worm 15 and the lug is-receiv-ed in a shallow axially opening-'recess'26'in the-end 16 of the worm. The-ring 22- is mounted onthe reduced end portion 27 of a sleeve .28: and abuts against .a shoulder 29*(Fig. 5) on the sleeve where. it is held by a collar 39 pressed onto the reduced sleeve portion. This assembly 31 of the sleeve 27, thecollar 30 and thering 22 is journaled on the-warp rod 13 with therouter' end of the collar abutting against a shoulder 32" on the rod and the, sleeve projecting into a bore 33 in the en'd of the worm so that the assemblyis held between the worm and the shoulder 32. By turning: the assembly 31 on the warp rod, the position of the pointed end 24'of'the lug22-relative to the wall. extension '20 is adjusted. The lug is held in 'thefadjus'ted' position by a, set screw 34 threaded through the worm and seated inan- "annular groove 35 in the'sleeve 27.

To-obtain a finer degree of adjustment of the width of the inlet 23; the wall-extension 20': is disposedf'at :an angle somewhat less than the helix angle of the-:groove 14. As a result, the wall extension converges very gradually toward the end 16 of the worm 15 so that a comparatively large angular change in the position of the end a 3 ent count thread is to be drawn, it is only necessary to adjust the angular position of the picking blade 22 so that the width of the inlet 23 to the groove 14 corresponds to the particular size of thread. By virtue of thls adjustability of the inlet, the worm accurately picks off only a single thread at a time from the warp sheet 11 even with the finer counts of thread.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a warp drawing-in machine, the combination of, a Warp worm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an axially facing end and a peripheral groove extending helically at a predetermined angle along and around the worm to said end, said groove having a first wall terminating at said'end and a second and opposite wall extending circumferentially beyond the terminus of said first wall and converging gradually in a circumferential direction toward a transverse plane of the worm including said terminus, the angle of convergence of the extended portion of said second wall being less than said predetermined angle, a warp picking finger lying adja cent said worm end and having a pointed end disposed circumferentialy beyond said terminus and cooperating with the opposed part of said extended wall portion to form an inlet for guiding the entry of the terminal thread of a Warp sheet into said groove after the thread has been picked off from the sheet during turning of the worm, and means supporting said member for angular adjustment about said axis to position said pointed end opposite diiferent parts of said extended wall portion and thereby adjust the effective Width of said inlet.

2. A Warp worm comprising a rotatable cylinder having a helical groove extending around the periphery thereof and defined by opposed walls terminating at one end of the cylinder with a portion of the wall which faces outwardly toward said end extending circumferentially beyond the end of the inwardly facing wall, indicia on the extended portion of said outwardly facing wall corresponding to different thickness of the threads of a warp sheet and increasing in magnitude toward the end of said inwardly facing wall, a warp picking finger normally rotatable with said cylinder and having a pointed part disposed circumferentially beyond the end of said inwardly facing wall and opposite said extended Wall portion and cooperating with the latter to define an inlet for guiding the terminal thread of said sheet into the groove after the thread has been picked off from said sheet by said finger, and means supporting said finger for rotational adjustment relative to said cylinder to position said pointed part opposite different ones of said indicia thereby to change the axial spacing between the part and said extended portion and vary the width of said inlet in accordance with the size of the threads of said sheet.

3. In a warp drawing-in machine, the combination of, a warp worm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an axially facing end and a peripheral groove extending helically along and around the worm to said end, said groove having a first wall terminating at said end and an opposite wall extending circumferentially beyond the terminus of said first wall and converging gradually in a circumferential direction toward a transverse plane of the worm including said terminus, a thin flat arcuate member lying against said worm end and projecting circumferentially beyond said terminus, the free end of said member being pointed to pick off the terminal thread of a warp sheet and cooperating with the opposed part of said converging wall surface to form a channel for guiding the entry of said terminal thread into said groove after the thread has been picked off from the sheet during turning of the worm, and means supporting said member for angular adjustment about said axis to vary the projecting length of said member and thereby adjust the effective width of the inlet of said channel.

4. In a warp drawing-in machine, the combination of, a warp worm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an axially facing end and a peripheral groove extending helically along and around the worm to said end, said groove having a first wall terminating at said end and an opposite wall extending circumferentially beyond the terminus of said first Wall and converging gradually in a circumferential direction towards a transverse plane of the worm including said terminus, a warp picking member lying adjacent said worm end and projecting circumferentially beyond said terminus, the free end of said m mber being pointed and cooperating with the opposed part of said converging wall surface to form an inlet for guiding the entry of the terminal thread of a warp sheet into said groove after the thread has been picked off from the sheet during turning of the worm, and means supporting said member for angular adjustment about said axis to vary the projecting length of the member and thereby adjust the effective width of said inlet.

5. A warp worm comprising a rotatable cylinder having a helical groove extending around the periphery thereof and defined by opposed walls terminating at one end of the cylinder with a portion of the wall which faces outwardly toward said end extending circumferentially beyond the end of the inwardly facing wall, an element normally rotatable with said cylinder and having a finger disposed adjacent the end of said groove to separate the terminal thread of a sheet of warp and guide the thread into the groove, and means supporting said element for rotational adjustment relative to said cylinder to move said finger circumferentially toward and away from the end of said inwardly facing wall and thereby change the axial spacing between the finger and said outwardly facing wall to correspond to the size of the threads of said sheet.

6. In a warp drawing-in machine, the combination of, a warp Worm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an axially facing end and a peripheral groove extending helically along and around the worm to said end, said groove having a first wall terminating at said end and an opposing wall extending circumferentially beyond the terminus of said first wall and converging gradually in a circumferential direction toward a transverse plane of the worm adjacent said end, a warp picking member lying adjacent said worm end and having a pointed part disposed circumferentially beyond said terminus and cooperating with the opposed portions of said converging wall surface to form an inlet for guiding the entry of the terminal thread of a warp sheet into said groove after the thread has been picked off from the sheet during turning of the worm, and means supporting said member for angular adjustment about said axis to position said pointed part opposite different portions of said converging wall and thereby adjust the effective width of said inlet.

7. In a warp Worm drawing-in machine, the combination of, a warp worm rotatable about its longitudinal axis and having an axially facing end and a peripheral groove extending helically along and around the worm to said end and defined by opposed Walls, the terminal part of the wall facing away from said end being separate from said cylinder and cooperating with the opposed portion of the other Wall to define an inlet to said groove, a pointed end on said terminal part for picking off the end thread of a warp sheet and guiding the thread into said inlet, and means supporting said terminal part for movement relative to said other wall to vary the spacing between the wall and the part and thereby adjust the effective width of said inlet.

No references cited. 

